ablative case alevel latin

miles gladio pugnabat

the soldier was fighting with a sword

ABLATIVE OF INSTRUMENT

used on its own indicate s the inanimated thing "By" or "with" which the action was done

Domitianus a libertis occissus est

Domitian was killed by his freedmen

ABLATIVE OF AGENT (with a or ab)

indicates the person "by" whom the action was done

urbe capta milites gavisi sunt

having captured the city, the soldiers rejoiced

ABLATIVE ABSOLUTE

a phrase consisting of a noun in the ablative and a participle (or another noun) agreeing with it is the Ablative Absolute

it stands outside the syntax of the main clause

prima luce profecti sumus

we set out at first light

ABLATIVE OF TIME WHEN

a time phrase in the ablative case can indicate a single point of time at which the action was done

paucis diebus redibimus

we shall return within a few days

ABLATIVE OF TIME WITHIN WHICH

a time phrase in the ablative case can also indicate the time during which the action was done

Antonius gladium sub toga habet

Antony has a sword beneath his toga

AFTER CERTAIN PREPOSITIONS

Many prepositions govern the ablative case

solutus metu

free from fear

ABLATIVE OF SEPARATION

an ablative is used after verbs and adjectives which implly removal or separation

incolae cibo carent

The inhabitants are lacking food

AFTER CERTAIN VERBS

the ablative is used as the object after certain verbs

note in particular careo, fruor and utor

honore dignus

worthy of honour

AFTER CERTAIN ADJECTIVES

the ablative is used after certain adjectives

note in particular dignus, fretus, plenus

filius est clarior patre

the son is more famous than his father

ABLATIVE OF COMPARISON

instead of quam an ablative can be used to mean than...

femina eximia pulchritudine

a woman of extraordinary beauty

ABLATIVE OF QUALITY

like the genitive of quality an ablative can be used to give a quality of a person or object

when it is a physical quality, the ablative is used in preference to the genitive

oppidum summa vi oppugnabatur

The town was attakced with the utmost force

ABLATIVE OF MANNER

an ablative can idnicate the manner in which the action was done

magno cum clamore pugnatum est

The battle was fought with great shouting

ABLATIVE OF ATTENDANT CIRCUMSTANCE

an ablative can be used with cum to give a circumstance which attended the doing of the action

numero pauci

few in number

ABLATIVE OF RESPECT

the ablative can define the respect in which something is the case

Roma /domo/ rure

from Rome

from home

from the country

ABLATIVE OF MOTION AWAY FROM

with names of towns, cities and small islands, and certain other nouns, the ablative with no prepostiion conveys motion away from

puella est multo fortior puero

The girl us much braver than the boy

ABLATIVE OF DEGREE OF DIFFERENCE

with words implying comparison an ablative can be used to indicate the degree of difference

most common of these is multo with comaprative adjectives and adverbs